Bathtub safety grip



June 18, 1935. O BUHL ET AL 2,005,576

BATHTUB SAFETY GRIP Filed May 31, 1954 192103 7512005 9 QsmrfluhbPatented June 18, 19:55

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATHTUB SAFETY GRIP Oscar Buhl and Henry V.J acobus, Bellcvllle, N. J.

Application May 31, 1934, Serial'No. 728,403

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a bathtub safety grip and has'for an object toprovide a hand rail or safety grip which will increase safetyi'for thebather entering or leaving the bathtub or while remaining in thebathtuband reducing the possibility of accidentally slipping or fallingof thebather. V

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved safety gripor hand railwhich extends above the top edges of the bathtub and whichmay be made'either as an integral part of the bathtub without howeverdisturbingthe fundamental original design or may be made as anattachment to be secured to existing bathtubs.

With the foregoing and othergobjects in view, as will hereinafter becomeapparent,'this invention comprises the constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts, hereinafter set forth, disclosed and shown on theaccompanying drawing. In this drawing,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the tub showing the handgrip integral with the same, and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the hand grip bolted onto the tub.

There is shown at ID a bathtub which while of a built in type, may be ofany conventional type. With bathtubs of this or any other type there isthe ever present danger that the bather may slip and often seriouslyhurt himself either when entering or leaving the bathtub or whilestanding in the tub incidentally during the process of bathing. Thebather usually instinctively grabs for the edge of the tub to steadyhimself and inasmuch as this edge is usually smooth porcelain andsometimes apt to be soapy and at least is wet, such action often servesmerely to increase the danger of falling or slipping and thus increasethe severity of the injury suffered by the bather. With this invention,however, such instinctive grabbing action at the edge of the bathtubresults in affording a secure gripping means whereby the bather mayquickly and easily steady himself and avoid injury. The gripping meansconstituting this invention includes a hand rail or grip III, whichrises above the top edge [2 of the bathtub In, as shown in Figures 2 and3.

This rail or grip l l extends from adjacent one end [3 of the bathtub tothe other end ll of the tub, the rail ll being supported by slopingportions l5 and I6 joining the top [2 of the bathtub and in the middleor in additional places if necessary and desirable by a brace l1. Aswill be observed the bottom of the rail II is serrated as at 18. Theseserrations [8 provide grooves 19 therebetween so that the fingers of thebather may enter these grooves l9 and be prevented from slipping alongthe railing l I by means of the serrations l8. A firm and secure grip isthereby provided. As will be observed, these serrations and grooves arepresent only on the bottom of the rail and not on the top of the rail,thereby making it possible to rest on the top of the rail in comfort andyet have a secure grip when desired.

It will be further noted that the rail, or grip l I is provided alongthe inner edge of each side of the bathtub l0 and likewise along theouter edge of the bathtub l0, thus afiording quick and easy facility foreither entering,'leaving or standing in the bathtub. Furthermore, therail ll extends above the usual top I! of the edge of the bathtub, thusallowing the bathtub to be of the usual size and hold the usual amountof water therein. These grips ll afford an additional facility forsteadying ones self while reaching into the tub and cleaning the samepreparatory to bathing.

In Figure 4 a hand rail or grip 20 is shown as being detachably securedby a bolt or set screw 2| to the top edge of a bathtub 22 ofconventional construction. This hand rail or grip 20 is identical inconstruction with that shown at H being provided with the sameserrations l8 and grooves I9 for the same purpose. A bathtub is asomewhat expensive article and this attachable hand rail or grip 20 maybe quickly and easily attached to any existing bathtub after makingsuitable inserted openings in the edge thereof to receive the screw orstud bolt 2|.

The novel features and the operation of this device will be apparentfrom the foregoing description. While the device has been shown and thestructure described in detail, it is obvious that this is not to beconsidered limited to the exact form disclosed and that changes may bemade therein within the scope of what is claimed with out departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, whatis claimed is:

l. In combination with a battub, a hand rail or grip secured to saidbathtub along at least one edge thereof, said hand rail or gripextending above the top of the edge of the bathtub, said hand rail orgrip having a smooth top surface and a serrated bottom surface affordingfinger gripping facilities, said hand rail or grip being an integralpart of said tub.

2. For attachment in combination with a bathtub; a hand rail or gripadapted to be secured to the bathtub along at least one edge thereof,said hand rail or grip extending above the top of the edge of thebathtub, said hand rail or grip being of a diameter to be easily graspedby the average hand, the surface of the upper side of said hand rail orgrip being smooth and continuous, and the under surface of said handrail or grip being divided by a plurality of serrations into a pluralityof grooves thereby affording finger gripping facilities, said hand railor grip being adapted to be secured to the top edge of the bathtubadjacent each end of-the bathtub by gradually sloping portions.

3. In combination with a bathtub, a hand rail or grip secured to saidbathtub along at least one edge thereof, said hand rail or gripextending above the top of the edge 01 the bathtub, said hand rail orgrip being of a diameter to be easily grasped by the average hand, thesurface of the upper side of said hand rail or grip being smooth andcontinuous, and the under surface of said hand rail or grip beingdivided by a plurality of serrations into a plurality of grooves therebyaffording finger gripping facilities, said hand rail or grip beingsecured to the top edge of the bathtub adjacent each end of the bathtubby gradually sloping portions, and brace means attaching said hand railor grip to said top edge of said bathtub intermediate its ends.

OSCAR BUHL.

HENRY V. JACOBUS.

